Grave marker and protector.



A A PATENTBD 001122, 1.907'. J. B. RBBSE, P. c. STRAHL L M. M. ADAMS.

GRAVE MARKER AND PROTECTOR.

APPLIOATIOH Hman APR. 2. 1907.

ful :Munnik Prrsns co.. wAsmNcron. n. c.

i UNITED AsTATEs PATENT oEEIeE.

JOHN B. REESE, OF `REN O TOWNSHIP, LEAVENWORTH COUNTY, AND PHILLIP STRAHL AND MOB/012th ADAMS, OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

GRAVE MARKER AND PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application tiled April 2, 1907. Serial NO- 366,053.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, Jol-IN B. REEsE, a citizen of the United States7 residing in Reno township, Leavenworth county, State ot' Kansas, and PniLLIr C. 5 S'rnanr. and Mou'roN M. ADAMS, citizens of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county oi Douglas and Stato ol Kansas, have invented certain new and usel'ul Improvements in Grave Markers and Protectors, ol' which the lollowing is a specilication.

rlhis invention rel-.ttes to artilicial stone grave markers and protectors and our object is to produce a structure oi this character which will stand as a permanent monument to the .memory ol' the deceased over whose grave it is placed, that is to say our object is to produce a structure which will prevent the cotiin from being washed ont oi the grave byllood and will also prevent the body trom being readily removed from the grave without the construction ol a tunnel, which is a method too slow and laborious to be practiced by unauthorised persons.

With this object in view and others as hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features ot construction and organization as hereinaiter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accon'ipanying drawing, in which- Figure l, is a perspective view of a section oi a family burial plot showing one grave ready to receive the coilin, a second aiter it has been sealed and a third aiter it has been completed. Fig. 2, is an enlarged vertical section on the line lI-II oi Fig. l. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sot-tion on the line III-Ill ot' Fig. l.

In thc said drawings, l indicates a cement curbing which may mark the boundaries of the burial plot or ot' a particular parl thereof destined to receive a predetermined numbor ol` graves, said curbing extending down into the ground a suflicient distance to prevent undermining by a llow ol' water.

2 indicates a similar curbing surrounding each grave 3, which curbing may extend completely around the grave but preferably will extend only around three sides oi the same leaving the fourth side or end to be formed by the boundary curbing l and where two graves are arranged side by side, the intervening side of the curbing willl'orm a part o the marker and pro tector of each, it being desirable in this case that such intervening side numbered ft, shall preferably be ol' greater width than a side 5, which is not situated between two graves. The length and width of the grave is preierabl y less than their surrounding curbings and within said curbings the surface of the ground is lowered as at 6 preierably a few inches below that of the natural surface.

Atter a coflin has been deposited in the grave when completed to the extent shown at the left hand side of Fig. l and the grave iilled in in the usual manner, a cement slab 7 is constructed over the grave, the upper surface ol` said slab preferably corresponding to that of the curbing l and 2, and said slab is preferably provided with short depending walls 8, which rest upon the lowered surface G ofthe earth within the curbing said slab being stiffened and strengthened by reinforce bars 9 or in any other suitable manner, it being understood that the preferred?construction is to construct the cement slab in the position which it occupies so that it will unite as an integral mass with the curbings, it being also understood that if desired the curbings can be molded at the same time and theretore after the cofl'in has been deposited in the grave.

lo protect the grave more thoroughly and at the same time provide a monument of more or less ornamental appearance, a cement cap-stone l0 of several tous weight by preference and oi any desired contiguration is mounted upon the cement slab, said cap stone by preference being molded upon and at the same time as said slab, in order that it may form an integral mass with the latter. The cap stone may bear the desired inscriptionor may be adapted to receive an inscription plate, or said cap stone may form a convenient support or base for an ornamental or symbolical figure, urn or other ornament for the grave.

The curbings are provided with grooves or gutters 1l for carrying oit water falling upon the structure and discharging it externally of the plot.

From the above description it will be apparent that we have produced a grave marker and protector possessing the leatures of advantage enumerated as desirable and we wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of construe tion shown and described as obvious modifications will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

l. A grave marker and protector', comprising a curbing 95 .',et into and projecting above the ground around the mouth of the grave, a slab united to the curbing with a water-tight relation and bridging the grave, and a capstone upon and permanently united to the slab and bearing a water'tight relation thereto.

2. A grave marker and protector, comprising a curbing surrounding the grave and projecting above the ground and of greater width and length than the grave, a slab tting within and against and bearing a water tight relation to the curbing and having its upper side flush with the corresponding surface o: the latter and provided with depending walls resting upon the ground around the grave Within the curbing and terminating at a point below the natural plane or level of the earth, and a cap stone superposed with respect to said slab.

A grave marker and protector comprising a curbing surrounding the grave and projecting,r above the ground and of greater width and length than the grave and provided in its upper side with gutters to conduct surface Water to the outer side of the curbing, a slab fitting Within and against and bearing a water tight relation'to the curbing and having its upper side liusli with tbe corresponding surface 0f the latter and provldedavitli depending Walls resting upon the ground around the grave and Within the curbing and terminating at a pointbelow the natural plane or level of the earth, and a cap stone superposcd with respect to said slab.

In testimony whereof we allix our signatures, in the 20 presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN B. REESE.

his

PHILLIP X C. STRAHL.

mark

MORTON M. ADAMS.

Witnesses Join' BnADLnr Runsu, Joni. J. Asimn.

Witness as to mark of lliillip C. Strahl:

HENRY H. Asimn. 

